Blog Archives

Afterlife #movie #blog

12/24/2015

I am taking a break from my time travel blog posts to explore afterlife books and movies. I consider most of these stories fantasy. They don’t necessarily represent my personal belief in what the afterlife is like. For that check out my book: Pennies From Across the Veil, which is based on true phenomena.

Having said that, the first movie I am featuring deals with the theory of reincarnation. I enjoy stories with this theme, even though it is not part of my own theology. I mean no disrespect for those who believe in it.

The first film in this category is:

Chances Are

It stars:

Cybill Shepherd
Robert Downey, Jr.
Ryan O'Neal
Mary Stuart Masterson
Christopher McDonald

Chances Are was released in 1989.

Louie and Corrine Jeffries (McDonald and Shepherd) are a happily married couple until Louie is hit and killed by a car. He ends up in heaven with severe separation anxiety from Corrine. So the Heaven authorities agree to let him go back and be born again. But Louie slips past without getting his inoculation which makes you forget your past life.

Louie is reborn in a new body (Robert Downey, Jr.) who, at first grows up not knowing anything about his past life. One day he meets a cute young woman named, Miranda. Through a work colleague, Phillip (Ryan O’Neal) he gets invited to Miranda’s house, where he meets her mom, Corrine.

Robert Downey, Jr. and Ryan O'Neal

Louie begins to remember who he was and the movie becomes very comical as he tries to convince Corrine that he is her dead husband, who, by the way, Corrine never got over losing. He also realizes that Miranda is his own daughter, who he had never met in his other life. He has to pull away from her as he seduces her mom, Corrine.

Quote: Louie: “Miranda, go to your room.”

Mary Stuart Masterson as Amanda

It’s odd to see Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) in such a young role, yet it wasn’t odd for me to see him and Cybill Shepherd together. I thought they had better chemistry than he and Masterson.

The 44 year old Cybill Shepherd was extremely sexy in this role and the way it was cast and acted made it plausible.

Ryan O'Neal as Phillip Train also did a great job. Phillip had been in love with Corrine even as she was marrying Louie back in the 1960s. He never stopped loving her. She just thought of him as a dear friend. But when push came to shove, literally, as Phillip and Louie have a fight, the question is raised where her true feelings and loyalties lie.

The movie has a good ending, but some people were disappointed by who ended up with whom. Others were not.

Original cover release

Check out my afterlife book: Pennies From Across the Veil where the seemingly paranormal phenomena recorded, are entirely based on true events.

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Aaron Paul Lazar - #Mystery Writer & More #GIVEAWAY Plus: Cover Reveal

12/11/2015

15 Comments

Aaron Paul Lazar

Husband/Father/Grandfather, Obsessed Writer, and Fanatical Gardener!

Today on my blog, I am featuring Aaron Paul Lazar in a very interesting interview. He is not only a wonderful author of multiple book series, but a true gentleman and nice guy. I am lucky and blessed to have befriended him.

READ TO THE BOTTOM FOR DETAILS OF THE GIVEAWAY!

Hi Aaron. Thanks for agreeing to be hosted on my blog.

APL: Hey, Dennis. It’s great to be here. Thanks for inviting me!

My pleasure.
First let me start off by congratulating you on your many accomplishments.

APL: Thanks so much. It’s funny, but I don’t feel so much as if they are accomplishments as releasing of those stories that must be told, you know?

I like that view point. We are led by our characters sometimes, aren’t we?

APL: That’s for sure. I feel as though these parallel universes that I create aren’t always born the way I picture them. They seem to grow into entities themselves, and take off in directions my characters decide to go.

So, how many books do you have published?

APL: I have twenty-five books published to date. Most are in eBook, print, and audiobook format, although a few, like my Write Like the Wind writing guides, are just in eBook and audiobook.

Wow, my seven books pale in comparison.

When did you start writing?

APL: I started to putter with it in 1997, but I really got hooked in 2001, when I finished Double Forte and started on Upstaged, the second book in the LeGarde Mystery series. Since then I’ve been unable to stop. It’s like an itch that must be scratched, this writing obsession. I’m sure you know exactly how I feel.

Indeed, I do.
This is an unfair question, I know and I’m sorry. But can you pick a favorite?

APL: Being an author yourself, Dennis, you know how tough a question this is! But if I absolutely had to pick just one book, I think it might be Don’t Let the Wind Catch You. This is part of my “young Gus LeGarde” series, and it’s a sequel to Tremolo: cry of the loon.

Why is that, Aaron?

APL: Well, because writing as an eleven-year-old boy is just plain fun. I also love the nostalgia of the era. I grew up in the fifties and sixties, and man-oh-man did we have fun!

That’s awesome, Aaron! I had fun in the sixties too. I’m going to have to put that on my to-be-read list.

Click the picture to purchase.

Like me, you have a family, a day job, as well as your writing career. What is your method for balancing all that?

APL: Dennis, it’s a little easier now that my daughters have grown up and moved out to start their own lives. Sure, we have many grandkids around all the time, and we also care for my wife’s 92-year-old mother. But my best way to balance all this is to go to bed super early, and get up at 4:00 AM to write to my heart’s content. This way I can get all my chores done, do my exercise (walking for an hour), write several chapters in whatever book I happen to be held captive by at the moment, and still leave for work by 8:00. Of course, when I get home, my wife and I pretty much just eat and go to bed, LOL. We watch a little TV, but we fall asleep fast!

Aaron, I knew we were kindred spirits. My day is pretty much like yours. Early to bed, early to rise. I’m also a morning writer.

If you had the opportunity to quit your day job and write full time for a living, would you?

APL: That is my dream, Dennis. I’d do it in a heartbeat.

Oh, me too, that’s why I asked.

This is an older alternate cover of The Seacrest, shown here for interest purposes. Click to purchase The Seacrest.

With all your books out there in the world, I am ashamed to say that so far, I have only read The Seacrest, but my wife has read Spirit Me Away and she loved it. But speaking of The Seacrest, I love your style of writing and how you switched back and forth between 1997 and 2013. I guess I liked it because it’s a style I use in my own time travel books.

But there is something else that struck me. It’s the way you write sensual scenes. Maybe it’s because I’m a guy and the way you wrote them resonated with me from my own memories of the past. I think female written erotica tends to be much more blunt…at least in the scenes I’ve read. Bravo on your subtle style. How does it feel to write erotic scenes like those in The Seacrest?

APL: I’m glad you read The Seacrest, and especially grateful for your comments from a guy’s POV. You see, my whole life, I wrote relatively “wholesome” mysteries. I was afraid to “go too far,” and didn’t want my daughters to know that I “thought like that.” LOL.

“Laughing”

I get that. I have a daughter too.

APL: So, it took me a long time to actually reach a point where I realized it didn’t matter anymore. (Daughters are all over 30 now with their own kids!) When my wife asked me to write a love story, “like Nicholas Sparks,” I laughed. But then the idea grew on me. It was a particularly strong urge when I stayed with her on Cape Cod near Paines Creek Beach, in Brewster, Mass. I have always loved the Cape, but the sensuality of the beach convinced me to write The Seacrest.

Sounds like a wonderful place to become inspired.

Paines Creek Beach (From the internet)

APL: I also wanted to pay homage to one of my favorite characters of all time, Mr. Travis McGee (John D. MacDonald’s character). So I created a feature character to do just that.
When it came time to write the love scenes, I decided to just let go. I’d read a little erotica, and found that a bit too graphic for my own tastes. So I felt I knew where to stop. I still am not sure if I achieved that, because although most of the reviews are just wonderful for The Seacrest, a few readers have been shocked by the sex scenes and recoiled in horror that their “wholesome” author went down such a scandalous road. LOL.

“Laughing”

I don’t like the graphic scenes either, as you could probably tell from reading my book, Pennies From Across the Veil, and I would say you managed to achieve the perfect balance.

APL: Your comments about the scenes meant a lot to me, coming from another guy. This is not usually a man-centric genre, you know, and I was really challenged with it. I thought back to the days when I was a teen, and how desperately I hungered for my girlfriend (now my wife of 35 years), how I worshipped her, and could not imagine anything more beautiful than making love to her. Those were the thoughts I used when I was in Finn’s head, when he was a teenager as well as further on in the story when he reconnects with Libby. I’m really relieved to see the scenes worked. Thank you!

They worked wonderfully for me. It’s beautiful to think it was your dear wife that inspired you.

APL: Regarding the alternating time chapters. Phew. That was one of the hardest writing challenges I’ve ever faced, Dennis, and I take my hat off to you for being able to regularly pull that off!

Thank you, Aaron!

APL: I really found it difficult to keep in the head of the person of the correct time frame. Normally, I have this movie playing in my head, and it’s easy to see the next scene. But here I had to stop, remember which time I was in, and then move forward. I don’t think I’ll do this again, and I didn’t for The Seacroft and for The Seadog.

Well, well done, sir.

APL: Thank you!

So The Seacroft is the sequel to The Seacrest?

APL: Yes. The Paines Creek Beach series has three books so far, The Seacrest, The Seacroft, and my current WIP, The Seadog.

Click image to purchase The Seacroft.

Your books have such great covers. Speaking of which, below I present the COVER REVEAL for the not yet completed book, The Seadog. Thank you so much, Aaron for letting me be the first to reveal this to the world. It's another fantastic cover.

A lot of your books are mysteries. What made you interested in Mysteries?

APL: Dennis, my whole life I read mysteries. Even as a kid they were the only type of book that interested me. I was very likely influenced by my parents, however, who were avid Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, PD James, and John D. MacDonald fans! Even in my love stories, like The Seacrest, I can’t help but infuse some themes you might find in a mystery, as well. ;o0

I noticed.

What started you on a writing career?

APL: Dennis, I always wanted to write, because I loved reading so much. I pictured it would be later, when I was older, maybe when I retired. But when my father died unexpectedly in 1997, it knocked me for a loop. I found writing to be supremely therapeutic, and the writing bug bit me hard. I had a brief stalling period with my first book, which I picked up after a few years of doing nothing. Since then, I can’t seem to stop. ;o)

As you know, I relate to writing after a loss as well.

Name three words in priority that describes you.

APL: That’s a tough one. My first impulse is to say husband, father, grandfather, but if you let me string those together, I’d say husband/father/grandfather, obsessed writer, and fanatical gardener.

LOL! Those are great descriptions. I’ve seen beautiful pictures of your gardening. I've attached a few below.

Who were your major influences growing up? (Writer, actor, musician…)

APL: My father was a classical music professor who played piano and filled our home with culture, wild artistic personalities, and amazing European influences in the culinary and art fields. My mother was a dedicated and loving mom who made sugar cookies and sewed our clothes. She was a great cook, too. Both of them influenced me hugely. All four of my grandparents also played a big role in my life – from my musical, Victorian-antiques-loving maternal grandparents to my outdoorsy-Maine-loving paternal grandparents.

So do you love antiques as I do?

APL: Because of my grandparents and mother (who ran an antique shop for many years), I LOVE antiques. I can’t figure why people would buy new furniture, when for half the cost they can get handcrafted, real wood products that will last centuries. My house is full of them. None are perfect – we will live normally with lots of grandkids running around – but I wouldn’t change it for the world. Most came from my grandparents and parents. But some we also found lots of them via excursions into local places here in upstate NY. There are some amazing antique shops around here. For example, when my daughter got married, I found her a Duncan Phyfe dining room table that normally would have cost $800 in the higher priced shops – for $225.00. What a deal! I also inherited my most prized possession this past year when my mother passed away, a bittersweet moment for sure. I’d much rather have my mom than all the antiques in the world, but I cherish this thing. It’s a Regina music box (cherry with carved wood and a beautiful picture/engraving on the inside lid). It came with 50 disks and a carved cherry cabinet to hold them. This kind of family treasure makes me feel blessed.

I understand this perfectly. Like I said, Kindred spirits. Antiques are links to the past. In your case it was my mom. When my mom passed, I found an old WWII scrapbook in her possessions. I didn’t know the people in it, but several months of research uncovered their identities and I even found the maker’s children. It inspired my upcoming novella, simply called The Old Scrapbook.

What can we expect to see next from the collection of Aaron Paul Lazar?

APL: I’m halfway through The Seadog, my third book in the Paines Creek Beach series. I’m really enjoying this novel and think my new character Jack Remington could be my favorite of all characters to date. He’s seriously damaged, trying to figure out what happened to make him homeless and living on the beach. The man is obsessed with incessantly searching the ocean to find someone, but he doesn’t remember who he’s looking for.

Sounds fantastic.
What else would you like to discuss?

APL: I’d like to tell folks that I’m an accessible author who loves to connect with readers. Feel free to check out my website at www.lazarbooks.com, or contact me via email at author@lazarbooks.com.

You can connect with me, too, at these sites:

Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
LinkedIn
Google+

Dennis, thanks for having me here today. It’s been a blast!

My pleasure, Aaron. I admire you greatly.

Aaron has agreed to give away three eBooks from his collection, and has let me choose the three. So comment for a chance to win, either The Seacrest, For the Birds, or Devil’s Lake. Winners will be chosen randomly.

15 Comments

Déjà Vu – 2006 #Timetravel #Movie

12/4/2015

2 Comments

Déjà Vu is a great time travel film from 2006. It stars Denzel Washington, Val Kilmer, Paula Patton, Jim Caviezel, and others. Wonderful cast!

Déjà Vu was filmed in New Orleans, both before and after Hurricane Katrina and these scenes are visible in the film. In fact the script was amended to include a reference to the tragedy.

On Fat Tuesday a ferry crossing over the Mississippi River, containing Navy Sailors and their families explodes, killing 542 passengers. One of the bodies recovered from the river doesn’t fit the bill as a person who died in an explosion. The body is that of Claire Kuchever (Paula Patton) who even in death is beautiful, and this does not go unnoticed by ATF Special Agent Douglas Carlin (Denzel Washington).

Paula Patton as Claire Kuchever

Carlin is brought in on (sort of) a new government project called Snow White. He is told it is a video screen made up of satellite imagery merged together to form a 3-D stream that can be looked and manipulated from any angle. But the stream can only be obtained from exactly 4 days, 6 hours, 3 minutes, 45 seconds, and 14.5 nanoseconds in the past.

They end up viewing inside the home of Claire Kuchever. Carlin gets the notion that Claire is aware that she is being watched…by them, so he shines a laser pointer into the screen and watches as she notices the beam.

Project Snow White with: Denzel Washington as ATF Special Agent Douglas Carlin. Val Kilmer as FBI Special Agent Paul Pryzwarra. Adam Goldberg as Dr. Alexander Denny. Erika Alexander as Shanti.

A topological representation almost identical to Brian Greene's idea as used in the film to explain time travel and a wormhole.

Adam Goldberg as Dr. Alexander Denny. Erika Alexander as Shanti. Elden Henson as Gunnars.

Spoiler Alert: He is then told the truth. He isn’t just seeing images from 4 ½ days ago, he is seeing the actual past as it is occurring 4 ½ days ago. From a time travel point of view, Claire is alive.

An attempt is made to send a note back to himself, but he leaves the office and the note is discovered by his partner who is killed trying to stop the bomber, (Jim Caviezel). It was strange for me to watch the actor who played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ and a beloved character in the time travel movie Frequency, playing such an evil bastard in this film.

Directed by     Tony Scott
Produced by    Jerry Bruckheimer
Written by      Bill Marsilii and Terry Rossio
Music by         Harry Gregson-Williams
Consultant:      Brian Greene

Cast
Denzel Washington as ATF Special Agent Douglas Carlin
Paula Patton as Claire Kuchever
Jim Caviezel as Carroll Oerstadt
Val Kilmer as FBI Special Agent Paul Pryzwarra
Adam Goldberg as Dr. Alexander Denny
Erika Alexander as Shanti
Bruce Greenwood as FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Jack McCready
Matt Craven as ATF Special Agent Larry Minuti
Enrique Castillo as Claire's father
Elden Henson as Gunnars

Douglas Carlin is eventually sent back to the past, with a plan to save the girl and stop the bombing. I’ve given enough spoilers, so I will leave it at this. The attempt didn’t go off exactly as planned, but the film comes to a very satisfying conclusion.

2 Comments

Afterlife #movie #blog

​Chances Are

Aaron Paul Lazar - #Mystery Writer & More ***#GIVEAWAY*** Plus: Cover Reveal

Husband/Father/Grandfather, Obsessed Writer, and Fanatical Gardener!

Déjà Vu – 2006 #Timetravel #Movie

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Aaron Paul Lazar - #Mystery Writer & More #GIVEAWAY Plus: Cover Reveal